Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-05-06
~ Weekly Iutslngsnoer
LANCASTER, MAY 9. 1857.
The Water Supply.

AaO VosSA oSRRAys
Ths reports Of the civil engineers upon
eur wa&ee supply, are very definite in lin.
1t1ng The inquiry a. to what needs to be
soene 70 purify the supply and free it from
6nngoe Of contamination from the city
AzainAgs. The point from which the water
GnonA b taken Is fixed just above the
pelnt where the natural city drainage en-
! - The creek at the railroad bridge. The
opoa question Is as to whether the pumping
Wus13 should be ta;:en there or whether the
WAtsr should be, for the present at least,
taken down to the existing pumping sta
hon BY pipe. Mr.. Croes believes that
the latter il the cheapest plan, though he
mys that accurate surveys, plan and esti-
mates should be prepared before the deci-
lon b made and the advice is obviously
Sood.
The question is entirely one of relative
oose. He estimates the cost of building q
NV dam, pump we'll, house, moving the
present engines and building one new one,
at ~, 900 which Is not much more than
H. estimate he gives Of the cost of laying
aplpe to the present station, 100000. His
ssport ID not definite in stating the elements
foe the calculation, but we presume that
this e60, 900 includes the cost of the dam
and inlet works needed to supply the pipe.
He puts into the cost Of removal of the
works . thirty.six inch cast iron force
main to the reservoir, saO,o 900, but does not
advise US whether the value Of the force
mains from the present station is de
Quoted from the cost Of the new one.
He capitalizes the annual extra cost OF
pumping by steam from the new station at
ess,soo, but does not say why the water
power may not be utilized as well there as
at tne pee5ent station, nor what would be
- cost of utilizing it. Nor does any ac-
count seem to be taken, in the calculation
that saving of the interst on ESQ 600, for
seven years, will be made by retaining the
present pumping station, Of the portion
Of the 100000, spent in laying supply
pipe to the present station, that will be lost
II at the end of seven years the station is
moved.
We have been of the opinion that the
economical plan would be to supply the
present station with water by pipe from
oUOvO WIG SAty uloiuo8C liu1ies ID oAi. SiuCo
suggests; but it evidently is matter that
needs careful calculation. Mr.. Croes' fig
ures do not seem to make it very clear that
this would be the cheapest arrangement.
II the pumping station is to be
removed eventually, a large part of
tho cost Of bringing temporary
supply of water to the present works
must be charged against the project
to retain them. There may he reasons to
forbid the use of water power at the pro.
posed station, but We do not know them,
and seemingly the use Of that power would
b judicious.
Another consideration to he taken into
account u the manufacture of the city's
electric light. We do not know why it
would not be advantageous for it to supply
IT. Light, when it has two water powers on
TIE Conestoga, beside the steam of its
water works plant.
Tho city will doubtless desire Mr.. Croes
to furnish detailed plans, embodying the
suggestions which he makes, with accurate
estimates Of the cost, and it certainly will
b well to submit the question of providing
for the electric light plant, for his consid.
eration.